The Future
by btvs
Summary: A bit of a random story inspired by The Time Traveler's Wife my favourite book Future Tom visits Sybil every year on her birthday


_**Okay this is experimental and just a little one shot I couldn't get outta my head. The Time Travellers' wife is my favourite book (you should read it if you haven't) and also I'm watching Misfits at the moment and future Simon has appeared so was inspired by that. Please let me know what you think **_

Running away from her governess and another tedious French lesson, six year old birthday girl Sybil Crawley ran to the bottom of the garden, doll in hand and a cheeky grin on her face. As she approached the pillars where she loved to torture her bigger sister Edith, she sat down to consider her next move and how to defeat the evil governess Mrs Jones. When she knew she had won she reached for her favourite book which she always left there and spent hours tucked away in the corner of the cold marble sanctuary she called her favourite place.

He hated the feeling, the sharp searing pain he felt when he transferred to another place. A bolt of electricity swam up his spine as the bright lights of summer blinded his arrival. The first thing he saw was her...for a moment he thought it was their Isabelle but after a moment of clarification he realised it was his Sybil. She looked so young; he's never been this far back before. He tried to be quiet as he approached but a stray twig guiltily announced his arrival.

She turned quickly...Sybil had never been one to be called shy. Brave and fearless, she walked towards the strange man holding out her hand 'Hi, I'm Lady Sybil Crawley, Who are you?'

His orientation was still adjusting but her approach makes him beam 'Hi, My name's Tom, nice to meet you Sybil'

'your voice sounds funny' the little girl replied.

That moment was the first time Sybil would meet her future husband but for Tom this was one moment of many. It began after the wedding, neither could explain it, all they knew is that it was meant to be. Sybil would talk to Tom about how she had know him all her life, how he would come to see her in the same place every year of her life ever since she had been six years old.

Every time they met Sybil would tease Tom about the future, she would ask if he was married and get terribly jealous when he replied yes with a huge grin on his face. In her teenage years she would storm off in a rage then the next year she would return with a more expensive dress and more make up.

On her 13th birthday Tom was sad, she knew something was up but Tom couldn't bear to tell her that in the future they had lost his son at birth; a hug was all she could offer him and a look at her new book she'd bought.

On her 14th birthday he was much happier, so much so that he accidently revealed that his daughter was learning to walk and already into books...well into eating them anyway. Sybil returned to the house, staring at her old childhood dolls and wondering if she would ever have children one day.

On her 15th birthday he didn't stay long, he explained he had to go and that it was the last time she would see him for a while, that he was out there somewhere, the younger Tom, and that they would meet soon. He asked her to make a promise, that she would never tell the younger Tom about what happened to him, in fear that they're future would be changed. Sybil was angry 'but I don't want that Tom, I want you!' He kissed her cheek which sent shivers down her spine as he went to leave. She ran after him and hugged his tight, tears streaming down her face, then he was gone...

At breakfast one morning, Sybil's father mentioned their new chauffeur was starting that day. Sybil had always found Taylor such a bore so welcomed the change but when Robert Crawley mentioned he was Irish Sybil's feet couldn't move fast enough. She ran as fast as her legs would take her, right to the garage. It was him...he looked so young, so beautiful! She walked to him, put her hands over his eyes and whispered in his ears 'Guess who' as he swirled around he gazed shocked at his beautiful new employee and stepped back 'M'lady, excuse me, I don't think...I have to go' Clearly shocked and embarrassed by the welcome he had just received from her he walked away, Sybil left alone and upset 'That's not my Tom' was all that went through her mind.

Of course as Sybil grew into a young women and developed her love for politics, the younger Tom stole her heart, she had the chance to learn about the man she'd learnt to love and what surprised her the most was that she grew to love younger Tom even more, his passion and fire were so refreshing that she loved him even when they would fight. It still scared her though; she would never forget hearing Tom talk about his wife and children and how they were the most important things in his life. Sybil had always thought the future is what you make it and nothing is set in stone but that thought haunted her still.

She saw older Tom once more, it was during the great war, she was walking through the gardens after younger Tom had told her that 'He would wait at Downton, until she was ready to run away with him' She saw him out the corner of her eye, his hair much greyer, the lines on his face easier to see. He was beaming; his wife had had baby number three and called her Anna, along with 5 year old Laura and their Isabelle. As she caught him up on her 'new' Tom a realisation came to him. 'Ah, so this is when you decided to marry me then, took you bloody long enough?' he joked, as he faded away back to their future.

She made the decision some weeks later when her heart was settled knowing that their future was already written and always had been.


End file.
